What an extraordinary day.

We went to bed on Wednesday night having heard that Mary Harney had decided to resign as minister for health: this a cause for relief, I mean celebration, from my point of view.

We awoke this morning to discover that four more Fianna Fail ministers, a pair of whom had previously declared their intentions, had resigned.

By afternoon we had a date for the election, 11 March, and a government, still led by Cowen, in which the remaining FF ministers all had two portfolios. - Mary Coughlan is now Tanaiste, minister for education and minister for health. You couldn't make it up, could you?

For the rest of the day there was an orgy of speculation and comment - Jesus we have a lot of commentators and pundits!

God knows what today will bring.

But just about as extraordinary is the return of extreme cold.
No snow this time but extensive freezing fog which has, once again, transformed Ireland into a winter wonderland.

These pictures were taken hereabouts or on the road between Ballyduff and Thomastown.

This was taken on the M9 near Carlow on the evening of the 19th. - The sun setting on Fianna Fail perhaps?................